John Alexander Low Waddell

J.A.L. Waddell Order of the Rising Sun
John Alexander Low Waddell
Born	January 15, 1854 Port Hope, Ontario, Canada
Died	March 3, 1938 New York City, United States
Resting place	Fairview Cemetery, Council Bluffs, Iowa
Nationality	Canadian
Education	C.E., B.A.Sc., Ma.E., D.Sc.
Alma mater	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute McGill University
Notable work	De Pontibus Bridge Engineering (two volumes)
Spouse	Ada Everett (m. 1882)
Children	3
Engineering career
Discipline	Civil Engineering
Institutions	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Imperial University at Tokyo
Practice name	J.A.L. Waddell, Consulting Engineer
Significant design	Waddell "A" Truss Bridge Vertical-lift bridge
Awards	ASCE Norman Medal (x3) AAE Clausen Gold Medal
Signature

Dr. John Alexander Low Waddell (January 15, 1854 – March 3, 1938, often shortened to J.A.L. Waddell and sometimes known as John Alexander Waddell) was a Canadian-American civil engineer and prolific bridge designer, with more than a thousand structures to his credit in the United States, Canada, as well as Mexico, Russia, China, Japan, and New Zealand. Waddell’s work set standards for elevated railroad systems and helped develop materials suitable for large span bridges. His most important contribution was the development of the steam-powered high-lift bridge. Waddell was a widely respected writer on bridge design and engineering theory, as well as an advocate for quality in higher education engineering programs. The company he founded in 1887, 'J.A.L. Waddell, Consulting Engineer,' would eventually become the modern day Hardesty & Hanover, a leading moveable bridge engineering firm. Many of Waddell's surviving bridges are now considered historic landmarks.